Teaching rocks for kids can be fun, interactive and even yummy with these creative ideas. These 15 activities and ideas are perfect for teaching science about rocks that includes the rock cycle, the types of rocks and more!

You’ll even love how these ideas integrate food {yum!}, creativity and songs to meet all learners.

Rocks for Kids

1. Rock Formations Worksheet – Students can take what they know about rocks and use them creatively to create rock formations. This is a more artistic way to work with rocks for kids and makes a great display next to a classroom anchor chart. {Free download}

2. How to Make Edible Rocks {A Rock Buffet} – This idea had my mouth watering as I explored the fun ways that students can illustrate how rocks are made by using rice krispie ingredients. This is perfect for introducing the three observable properties of minerals before moving onto the three basic types of rocks. Yum! You’ll also love the video connection.

3. About Rocks Anchor Chart – When you’re working on beginning a rock science investigation in the classroom, you’ll most likely begin a new list of vocabulary words.

The place to start is with the words the students want to use to describe the rocks when they are observing them. What a great way to make their words become part of the investigation.

4. How to Make a Rock – Use ingredients that are easy to have on hand. All you need are cups, glue, sand, pebbles and a disposable cup.

This activity is a great one to have students record in their science journals and to have their own material to keep. What a fun and neat way to make science come alive!

5. Rocks for Kindergarten Science Journals – A great unit for kindergarten students that takes them on an exploration of rocks and soil with ideas on investigation, experimenting, observing and getting all of these ideas down into their science journals.

You’ll love the simplicity and thoroughness of the pictures that’ll make this feel like a teacher tutorial that is easy to do. {Free download}

6. Comparing Soil Investigation – Here is a great way to wrap up a rock unit. Bring in the scientific method to help students explore which type of soil is best for planting and putting what they know to the test. This is great for first graders! {Free download}

7. Guess My Rock Activity – This activity is great for older students. They can use gathered rocks and create the questions for a partner or a display in which they list the description or properties of the rock.

It’s a great way for them to apply what they know to found rocks. Turn it into a rock hunt to make it fun!

8. The Rock Cycle Diagram and Song – Here is a sure-fire way to help students see the connections between igneous rock, metamorphic rock and sedimentary rock.

They can create a diagram that illustrates the cycle and use this nifty song to the tune of “We Will Rock You” that is sure to have them hooked.

9. Rocks by Characteristic – In kindergarten, students can learn to sort rocks by different categories. Here is a great example of how students can learn to be problem solvers to organize their data and then explore the concept of sorting using various categories like size, texture, color, etc.

10. Rock Definition Worksheet – If you just need a quick worksheet to practice the definitions for sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks, then this one will do it.

Students can trace, define and color a picture to match. {Free download}

11. Three Types of Rock Video – Need another way to help students learn the 3 types of rocks during your rocks and soil unit? Here is a 2 minute video that might help.

It also helps reinforce that characteristics of each as well as the word “geology” perhaps just the thing you need to reach a different style of learner when teaching rocks for kids.

12. Pebbles, Sand and Silt Module from Foss – This website includes and activity for students to find the materials that came from the Earth, images, audio stories and movies.

Have your class generated a question and needs to ask a scientist. They can do that on the website. What a great collection of ideas and resources.

13. My Pet Rock Worksheets – If you like to bring in pet rocks into your unit, here are 3 free worksheets. Students can weigh, measure and illustrate their pet rock. What a fun and creative way to wrap up a unit and take some learning home. {Free download}

14. Rock Research Literacy and Math Activities – Here is a great set of literacy and lath activities that will all incorporate rocks for kids soil.

Students can use the included worksheet to research a rock and keep tabs on various experiments that can do like a vinegar test, sink/float, magnetic, scratch or brightness. {Free download}

15. Rock Cycle Stations – Take students through the cycle of a rock by setting up stations (for grades 3-6) and color coded stations.

Students will love the concept of rolling to see what happens to them as they, a rock, continue on their journey. It’s a great way to have them live out the cycle and compare experiences.

You may also totally dig this science collection: Clouds Science for Kids: 23 Smart Ideas for the Classroom

Thanks to these teachers for their free downloads and creative lesson ideas.  Your activities are fantastic! Feel free to grab the “I’m a Featured Teach Junkie” blog button as your ideas are definitely worth the shout out.

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